Lock for seat-covers of motor-vehicles.



No. 759,181. PATEN'TED MAY 3, 1904.

G. W'; KERR.

LOOK FOR SEAT COVERS OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

- APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 190a.

N0 MODEL.

'ZU/iZheJq as: Imam.

UNITE STATES Patented May 3, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

GEORGE W. KERR, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO KNOX AUTOMOBILE COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS,

A CORPORATION.

LOCK FOR SEAT-COVERS OF MOTOR-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 7 59,181, dated May 3, 1904.

Application filed May 4, 1903. Serial No. 155,641. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. KERR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Springfield, in the county of I-Iampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Locks for Seat-Covers of Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

In the runabout type of self-propelled vehicles a concealed seat comprises apart of the same, said seat being covered by movable members, one of which can be dropped down to form a footboard.

The present invention primarily relates to means for securing these cover members together, though it may be employed for other analogous purposes, as will be seen when the nature of the invention is more fully understood.

The object is to provide a simple device of this character that can be readily operated, will hold the parts securely together, and is not liable to become deranged or unfastened by the motion and jar of the Vehicle.

While the construction herein set forth is at present believed to be the preferable one, an inspection of the appended claims will show that various changes may be made there from without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the new look. Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the seat-cover, showing the lock in side elevation and operative position. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but showing the relation of the lock elements when throwri to inoperative position.

Similar reference-numerals refer to similar parts throughout the various figures of the drawings.

In the construction illustrated a portion of the footboard is shown at 10, while the upper movable cover member is designated 11. These two members are so arranged that their edges can bebrought into abutting, relation, and the joint formed thereby is concealed by a suitable bead or moldinglQ, carried by one of the members. The said cover members are arranged to be secured together by the illustrated look. This lock consists of two elements, one of which comprises a base '13, secured to one member by screws 14 or other suitable fasteners and having an outstanding post 15, provided in one side with a seat 16. The other element consists of a base 17, secured by fastening devices 18 to the other cover member and having an outstanding ear 19. Pivoted at one end to this car is an ac.- tuating-arm 20, said end being bifurcated, as shown at 21, and embracing the ear. The other end of the arm has a suitable cross-head, constituting a handle 22. pivoted at one end to an intermediate portion of the arm 20, the terminals of said loop be ing disposed astride the arm, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The loop is arranged to engage over the post and has a tooth 24, that fits in the seat 16 thereof. A socket 25 is formed in the under side of the pivoted end of the actuatingarm and is adapted to receive the free offset end 26 of a retainingspring 27, secured within a recess 28, formed in the base 17.

The operation of the lock is as follows: Then the covcrmembers are in operative position, or, in other words, over the seat, the latch-loop can be swung across the joint and engaged over the post, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Upon swinging the actuated arm upwardly said cover members will consequently be drawn together and at the same time the pivots of the loop and arm pass adead-center, as shown in Fig. 2, so that they will under normal conditions remain in operative relation. When in this position, the offset end of the retaining-spring is engaged in the socket or notch 25, and the lock thereby formed serves to securely prevent displacement of the handle and disengagement of the loop from the post. The lock may, however, be readily unfastened by manually swinging the arm, the spring automatically moving out of its socket. It will therefore be seen that a very simple and at the same time efficient lock has been invented which will not be materially effected by the vibration of the vehicle-bod y.

Having thus described my invention, what A latch-loop 23 is oted at one end and having a socket in its pivoted end, a latch-loop pivoted to an intermediate portion of the arm and arranged to engage over the post, and a retaining-spring 5 having an ofiset terminal arranged to seat itself in the socket of the arm.

GEORGE W. KERR.

Witnesses:

A. E. SMITH, H. A. KNOX. 

